Something to Dance to (not Christmas music:)

We have been hit by snow here in Toronto. It's cold and slushy. Last night our salsa class was at Lula Lounge because our teacher had to teach salsa to a Christmas party booked there. We had fun in the class and we stuck around and danced to the excellent DJ tunes! (not necessarily salsa) Here is a little salsa classic to put on and dance to especially if you are snowed in!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXtleF5mTiU

More changes :)

This week our salsa instructor told us that the space where he has the classes, "The Movement Centre", will be closing down at the end of January. We were very disappointed but he assured us he will find another space to teach from. The Movement Centre has been around for many years and has also supported local talent (performance artists, dancers, comedians, writers) with cabaret-like shows for local artists to try out new material. It is sad to know it will be closing down.

On the bright side, all the little steps and movements we have been working on seemed to be coming together in the last class. I actually felt like I was (almost) dancing! :) It's been a great learning process and a lot of fun. I go to the classes with my sisters and it has been a great way to have "sister time" as well. The musical education has been inspiring too. As someone who used to sing folk music I have had a great time finding out about the greats of this genre.

So far there is no news on the Zumba class front. Our instructors are still looking for a location from which to teach but it looks like it will be in January at the soonest! AHHH! A month without Zumba? It is really my cardio workout. It looks like the bootcamp alternative is getting to be a viable alternative. (Just in case the Zumba takes longer to get going.)

Another New Yoga Pose

I am a beginner to intermediate level of yoga student. I have done yoga since I was a kid (off and on). This family yoga class has a lot of great basics and the teacher throws in these poses I have never done before as well. We basically did a tree pose and then went into a forward bend. The closest link I can find has it as a "bound half lotus". If you can do a half lotus standing I find the bend forward is easier from this postion than from the tree. (foot on upper thigh). We simply bent forward however. We did not wrap one arm around our back to reach for our toe! YIKES! That looks hard! :) As the site says, don't FORCE yourself into half lotus. You will injure your knees and you don't want that!

http://www.acrocore.com/ardha-baddha-padmottanasana-half-bound-lotus-standing-forward-bend/

The End of Zumba? Fitness Bootcamp for 2011? The Importance of Conistency and Enjoyment in your Health Journey

In the last couple of weeks it has struck me how important consistency is to your healthy eating or exercise routine. Little things can get your routine out of whack and inadvertently lower your motivation. Last week our salsa instructor wasn't able to make the class so it was cancelled. (with plenty of notice and totally understandable) Unfortunately, the following Saturday my Zumba lesson was also cancelled for reasons beyond the instructors control. I was VERY disappointed. It made me realize how addicted I am to moving to music! It really brightens my week to have those two classes. I've also become addicted to the cardio aspect of the Zumba. Our teachers are really great. I particularly like the fact that they have a dance background so you feel you are learning some basic dance steps as well. It's lots of fun. The bad news is it may be gone in the future. The space that has hosted the class (Lula Lounge) will no longer be open at that time so the class will not have access to the space:(  We (my sisters and I) know of other Zumba classes going on and we may have to find a new space with new teachers.

Yesterday I was at a kid's birthday party with my son. The party was held at a very small local community centre. I discovered that they have yoga classes there as well as a "Fitness Bootcamp". Now, "Fitness Bootcamp" is totally not my style but hey... I didn't think I would like Zumba! I've really seen a progress in my fitness level through the Zumba. I used to get really winded and sweat profusely. Now, I still sweat but not as much and I don't get nearly as winded. It has been a good lesson in the results of sticking to it!

I am happy to report that I am maintaining at about 141 or 42. I AM nervous about the coming festive season! I don't want all that hard work to go to waste.

Here's the Salsa Kids

Last week I wrote about going to Lula Lounge in Toronto. There was a  young brother/ sister team who are competitive dancers there. I think they started dancing when they were 5. It was amazing what they could do. I happened to have my camera with me so I made a little clip. Enjoy! Be inspired! Again, I have the dance studio link on my list.
PS This has taken me ages:) Due to the size of the clip I had to post it through Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12gTCNiP22c

Two New Poses in Family Yoga Class- Dolphin and Vishnu's Couch

I am still going to the family yoga class at my son's school. I was hoping he would participate too but he doesn't seem to be into it. Luckily they have a volunteer that watches a few of the kids that would rather play so that the parents can still participate.
The teacher is really great and it is a basic class but it is still giving me a great workout. I was telling Audrey I would like to strengthen my core and there were two poses that seemed to be a godsend for this purpose. One was called the Dolphin and the other was called Lord Vishnu's Couch. They were both tough to do repeatedly and with focus. I found a demonstration on Youtube of the dolphin so I'm posting that. The closest thing I could find to the other yoga pose is this Pilates pose. We were simply lifting our legs while lying on our side and propped up on one elbow. (It's harder than it sounds.) You are not propped up in the Pilates pose and they have added the difficulty of a scissor kick at the same time. I'll have to try it!
(PS there is a bad edit on the first clip but you will get the idea.)

Dolphin Pose Demo
Pilates "Banana Split"

I found this instuction on the pose. (Dec 6)
http://www.ehow.com/how_2331201_assume-vishnus-couch-pose-yoga.html

A Salsa Night Out

I had the opportunity to go out with an old friend to last night. She came in from Vancouver with her son and it was nice to see her. My mother in-law was able to have my son for a sleepover so I thought I would take advantage and see some salsa dancing in action. I am taking salsa lessons for fun and to stay in shape so I wanted to see how it takes form in the clubs (not going to them too often:). Lula Lounge is great because they start out the evening with an informal, basic salsa lesson. It was packed. I did the beginner lesson and it was fun!  The instructor was an amazing dancer herself and incredibly personable. We approached her about her shoes, which were fantastic dancing shoes. (Style and structure;) It turns out she has a dance studio in Mississauga so I will post a link.
After the lesson, there was a short performance by a ten year old girl and her brother. They are in world class competitions and their performance was incredible. ( I may post it. I happened to have my camera.)
The live band that played was an 8-10 peice ensemble called Cafe Cubano and they were really outstanding. I realize how lucky we are in Toronto to have this kind of live music on a regular basis. It really is a treasure.
I was asked to dance and failed miserably but I guess that's part of the learning process:) I had a blast and it was really intriguing and inspiring to see all that dancing in action!
I wasn't able to maintain my dedicated commitment to the cleanse though. I had two glasses of wine and boy did they hit me! Ah well, back to the routine today. Now my decision is whether to try to drop a final 5 pounds or not to get me to 135. I will think on that.

Pictures after the Cleanse and 6 weeks of the program

20 pounds lighter "after"

After

After

After

After

A "before" shot to compare

A "before" shot to compare (There are also some in the "good-bye muffin top" blog post)

I Just About Fell Off the Scale! :)

I am still on Audrey's cleanse. (Day 9 of the second phase) I haven't been getting on the scale too much lately because I just wanted to focus on the health aspects of the cleanse. It takes a little bit more mental commitment than just weight loss I think. Perhaps that is due to the keeping track of the supplements, psyllium component, herbal cleanse component and the protein. It could also be the no carbs for 9 days that is a little tough. I'm not a big dairy eater but I do like to have yogurt on a regular basis. That too was out. Because of these limitations I just wanted to focus on the benefits I was giving my digestive system and therefore the rest of my body. All this is to say that I was hardly looking at the scale because of this.
This morning I thought I would check in with the scale and just about jumped when it said I was down to 140 pounds. Whoa! Now, this may be temporary as I go back to eating more regularly but I was surprised. That means I am down 20 pounds in total. I can hardly believe it. It does feel good though! I will get some photos taken this weekend to compare to the "before" shots.
Also, I think the link I had to Audrey's website is now working. (I didn't realize it wasn't until yesterday.) She will soon be selling product on-line. I'm pretty sure you could send her an e-mail if you have any questions about her Vitazan cleanse. Of course, if you are one of her clients already, feel free to ask about it.

On Day 7 of the Cleanse

I find I have had emotionally up and down days while on this cleanse. I felt OK today but yesterday was a bit tough for some reason. I'm sure the detoxification has something to do with it as well. I am looking forward to day 10 when I can include some grains again! I also miss those proti-bar snacks as a way of dealing with junk food cravings:) BUT it has been going well. I stepped on the scale and was down a little bit again. (147 or so.. I could be getting to 145) Most importantly, I have been able to stick with it which is commendable I think.
Really, I don't think there is any way you can do this if you are travelling or at a very busy time in your life. That being said, I do work full time and keep a busy schedule. I have been very disciplined with having the right foods in the fridge which just makes it so much easier. I have been tending to eat a lot of fish and tofu while on this cleanse. As well as a lot of salad or veggies throughout the day. I cut up raw veggies to snack on. (Celery, carrots, cucumber) Dinner has included baked squash and fish, squash and turnip soup or chicken with steamed kale. Again, the menu is also dictated by the food box we have been getting. Sadly, I haven't been able to eat those yummy organic Ontario potatoes that are in the box as they are off the menu. As Audrey suggested, having hummus as a snack has also been great. We got some dry beans in our food box so I may try to do a variation on hummus with them. I've also kept a mix of raw almonds and sunflower seeds in a little bag to have as a snack if the need arises. Lots of herbal tea choices also help to keep the water intake up. I have my protein with almond or soy milk which seems to be the luxury of the day;) especially with an added banana or some mango.
The amount of the psyllium mix you have to take everyday does get a bit daunting. I've been tending to get 4 doses of it throughout the day as opposed to 5.  People at work have asked about the psyllium and I simply tell them I'm on a detoxification program. When I start teaching my second class in the morning that glass of pyslium and water comes with me:) The students don't even notice.
Here's to getting to day 10!

Always Read the Instructions

I am in the middle of a cleanse (see previous post). For some reason I thought you had to keep grains out for only 5 days, but it is actually 9! OOPS! I'm glad I checked that before I ate my spelt toast for breakfast tomorrow:)
I'm still on track and miraculously made it through the weekend. However I didn't have anything out of the ordinary going on either, which was nice. (ie no kids' birthday parties or going out of town etc) I went to the movies with my son and cursed myself for forgetting some almonds and sunflower seeds to snack on. As a result I bought myself a big bottle of water. (I hadn't brought that either) That worked to help me get through the movie but the almonds and sunflower seeds would have been a nice snack.
I do feel my body is de-toxing. My energy levels are pretty good but I feel a little moody or sad. That could be a result of the time change as well. I didn't get in good chunks of sleep last week and it definitely makes a difference.
Again, good luck to anyone doing this. It isn't exactly easy but the benefits for you digestive system and general health are worth it!

Over the Hump (Day 5)

I've been committed to the cleanse and haven't had trouble staying on it. (When I put my mind to something, it's serious. It's making the commitment that takes time:) Yesterday, (day 5) I kind of felt like I was hit by a truck. It may also have to do with the time change and disrupted sleep this week. I feel better today (day 6). The hardest part of this cleanse is keeping track of all the components and getting them in at the right time of day. Once you get in the rhythm of it though, it is not too bad. I also find the psyllium component a bit daunting but I think that is the MAJOR part of the cleanse so I'm absolutely keeping it up. I do keep in mind Audrey's advice about trying to eat small amounts through the day rather than a large meal. (Grazing, as she calls it. I simply have to eat like my 6 year old!:) As well, she said I wouldn't feel hungry and I am not. (All that psyllium;) I'm really proud of my progress so far. Making this kind of commitment to my health isn't easy, especially when so much around you pushes you to do otherwise. I am feeling quite a bit leaner and healthier than I did at the end of the summer.
To anyone also doing this cleanse with Audrey this week. Good Luck!

The Cleanse

I took the plunge and I am trying Audrey's detox cleanse. It consists of a kit made by Vitazan that has a psyllium/ herb/clay mix, a liquid herbal cleanse and colon detox supplement packs. As well, it is recommended you take a high quality protein supplement 2 x a day. I am on day 3 and I felt a little woozy on day two. It is to be done for 15 days total. All I can say is DRINK LOTS OF WATER! (Herbal tea is my friend) It has been an adjustment getting into the routine of when to take different components of the cleanse but it seems to be going fine. I am a little worried about the upcoming weekend however. We will see.

Dinner the other night

Tasty dinner the other night consisted of:
Tilapia with cumin, green onion, lime, a little salt and pepper. Bake at 350 F on baking pan sprayed with PAM for about 1/2 an hour. I used cumin seed and ground it up in a mortar and pestle which had a nice fresh taste. I also put a little squeeze of fresh lime juice just before serving.

Also had:
 A whole butternut squash peeled and cubed, toss with curry (1 tsp), paprika, (1tsp), basil (1tsp), turmeric (1/2 tsp).  a little pepper. All seasonings can be done to your taste. Cut up 2 fresh tomatoes and mix with the squash cubes. Put on prepared baking sheet and bake at 375 F or until soft. Yummy.

Compliments are motivating

For some reason it seems that people at work have noticed that my shape has changed. As I've said before I teach ESL and one of my students asked me what I was doing to get in shape. I told her the basics but I was surprised she had noticed. Later in the day one of my co-workers also mentioned it. Even later that day the Executive Director also mentioned it. (Both of whom were women:) Last night my mother-in-law came over for dinner and also gave me a compliment on how I looked. It was funny that it all happened in the same day. It is good because it reminds me I'm on the right track and to keep with it!

The Family Tree

I am very excited that my son's school is offering a family yoga class. I took my sister and son last Monday and it was great! It is incredibly reasonably priced and will continue until December. Whoo hoo! It is a one hour class of basic stretches and the instructor is very nice. There were other parents and children there as well.  My son was basically scooting around the gym (where the classes took place) while the class was taking place and would come in and out (mostly out) of the routine as it interested him. He DID have one eye on the class however. I will try a few more times and see how it goes. He is a very active kid and finds it hard to focus in school. I'm hoping if he gets into the yoga it will be a kind of moving focus exercise. In September, I enrolled him in a local art class for the same reason and it started out the same way. Now he is coming home with lots of art and information about art and artists. I'm hoping the same evolution might occur with the yoga. We will see. It was good fun anyhow and so close to home and my routine! Yay!

Finally down a pound :)

Well, slow and steady wins the race I guess. I weighed myself yesterday and was finally down a pound or 2. (148) I haven't felt any major stumbling blocks lately. I still have to go thoroughly through my portion control.  I would also like to do one more cardio activity a week. Zumba is very high cardio that gives me a little happy boost:)

Banana Bread error

I realize I listed Quinoa flour as a main flour but I think it must have been spelt flour I used. It is cheaper. I went to the healthfood store in my neighbourhood and they don't sell it in bulk. It was pricey. I made the change to the recipe listed in that post. Sorry for the misinformation.

The food box

Something I have been doing lately is buying a foodbox of local organic produce. There is a new business just up the street called Urban Harvest. I can put in an order and pick it up at the store. You can not choose the vegetables or fruit that you get but you know that it is fresh from a local grower. I started with the small foodbox and then (through a salesperson's misinformation really) have recieved my first large foodbox. It is full of great things and it is a bit like Christmas seeing what you are going to get. Even my son gets into it. He was particularly impressed by the monster sweet potato above. He also asked "Are those its roots?" It is a little food lesson in itself:)

If you are not into getting vegetables you might not buy regularly (for me this would be Chinese cabbage, turnips) I wouldn't do something like this. If you don't like lugging groceries around and if you enjoy exploring the cooking possibilities of new food, I would look into a similar service near you. It is fun and supports local growers. (Daughter of a strawberry, tomato grower :) The small foodbox (lower picture) was $28 and the large was $38. Right now they are selling what they call the"winter" foodbox for a series of weeks until February and it was cheaper if you paid up front for all they deliveries. This is quite an expense but it saves you a headache in the long run and ends up being cheaper as well. Here's to healthy eating!

Banana Mango Bread

I improvised this the other night based on what was around the house.

1 cup of spelt flour
1/2 cup of buckwheat flour
tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of splenda (brown sugar version might work better)
tsp cinnamon
tsp nutmeg
1 ripe banana -mashed
1 fresh mango cut into small pieces
Pam spray for baking pan.

Put all dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut up mango and heat in a saucepan with a little water. Cook until soft to the consistency of applesauce. Add banana and mango. It should form a stiff batter. If too dry add a little water. Put in bread baking pan that has been sprayed with PAM. Bake at 350 for about 1/2 an hour.

It turned out much better than I thought. I didn't have any eggs at home and if I do this again will add an egg I think.

Conference

I've been at a conference for the last 3 days. It was great but trying to maintain the routine wasn't. I had put proti-source aside to bring and forgot them at home twice! I left one of my water bottles somewhere as well. I brought a lunch because eating out is just plain difficult. I think it's too tempting for me. Out of sight, out of mind is best. I am still hovering at 150 but I have decided to look on the bright side. I am not buying my lunches at all anymore. I am getting my water intake. I feel better. Unfortunately I missed Zumba today because it was the last day of the conference. I really miss it.  I did go to Salsa class and that is always fun. It's not the intense physical workout that Zumba is but it is great to be learning how to dance.

That's a little TOO much yoga

On Sunday, my husband had an hour or two to look around for a new coffee table and light fixtures while our friends took our sons to the movies. Instead of checking the time of my yoga class BEFORE I left, I assumed I remembered the correct start time on Sunday. THAT was a mistake. We got home just before 4:00 and when I checked the yoga studio's website I saw that it started at 4:00, not 4:30 as I had assumed. (You know what they say about assuming.) I was really upset because I had really wanted to make the class and I was missing it! The silly thing is I have done this once before.

I had a little hissy fit. During this time my darling husband remained supportive and asked if I didn't have a DVD around somewhere. I do, but God knows where it is. We searched high and low and could only find old VHS tapes. Then I hit on the idea of trying to download something. We could locate nothing through i-tunes, which surprised me. I tried Yoga Journal website but a lot of their downloadable files are not routines or classes but instructions for single poses. I ended up finding a site call yogadownloads.com. I found a beginner hour long "weightloss" routine there. It took quite a while to download (half an hour?) so I ended up cleaning while I waited and then it was time to start making dinner! :(  Well, at least it's on the computer. I tried half of it tonight and it wasn't bad. I think it was a little late for me to get through the whole hour.

The humourous part of the whole process was scanning the possible yoga programs that were available. As we were scanning to choose a routine we noticed that some of the couples yoga was labelled "EXPLICIT". Uhhhh say what...??? We had to laugh. That's a little TOO much yoga. Although, after 6 years of marriage and 13 years together we may keep that little piece of information on file for future use;)

Trying to stay on track

Sorry for the lack of entries lately. We have been doing some painting  around the house and that took up a lot of time and energy last weekend. I hope to be a little more dilligent. Audrey tells me that people have noticed! That's good. It keeps me on track.
Well, the bump in the road was a BIG bump. I put on three pounds after Thanksgiving! I was half expecting that but not perhaps the work to get it off again. I think by the end of last weekend it started to come off and then it was 'that time of the month' and I went off track again at a good-bye party to a friend of mine. (She is moving to Scotland for a job for 3 years!) I had a great time and met a lot of nice people but indulged a little too much in the bowl of chips on the table.... :)
It seems I have been able to stay on track a lot more during the week. I forgot to weigh myself this morning but I think I am sitting at 150 still. I remember that when I was on the program before I dropped a good amount of weight at the start and then plateaued (sp?) at a point for a while and then dropped again. I am hoping this is true again!
I have still been going to Zumba, which I love. I have never taken a dance based class before in my life and Audrey dragged me to a class and I've been hooked ever since. The teacher's best advice was "Just have fun. If you don't know what's going on just fake it."  I've never considered myself as someone who picks up choreography very well so I am surprised that it has been as easy (but very sweaty) as it has. I missed Salsa class this week due to the ImagiNATIVE film festival opening on Wednesday night. I've also been remiss in my yoga. Perhaps I'll get my butt in gear and try to get to it tomorrow.

A bump in the road

I am an ESL teacher and I love my job. Especially this session because I have extremely didicated and happy students. As a way of celebrating special events we have potluck celebrations. This Thanksgiving's featured homemade vereniki (Ukranian pierogi), injiera (Eritrean flatbread) with spicy meat sauce, arepas (Venezuelan cheese stuffed corn frittters), apple cake, carrot salad, beet salad, Azebajani pilaf , homemade buns ...... I did exhibit self-control BUT homemade vereniki made by a Ukraninan grandma?? I can not say no.

Needless to say I'm up a pound and the weekend isn't even over yet! 2 more Thanksgiving events to go! I ate very well yesterday but this is going to be a hard next two days. I didn't eat ALL of the above but did have samplings of many.

The upside of the Potluck party was that a student taught many of us how to do some basic belly dance moves and we had a blast (and burned a few calories). Another sweet moment was when the large Ukraininan contigent broke out singing folk songs! It sounded beautiful and they looked so happy singing away.

Diet Prep Weekend Success

Well, I did the diet prep weekend and it was a success! I lost 4 pounds. Whoo hoo! Now at 150 lbs. It took ALOT of self-discipline but that's why I took my time to get into the diet prep. (2 weeks pre-diet) My sister Wanda commented on it (my self-discilpine) but I figure if you're going to take the time to do it you might as well do it right. As hard as it is to make this commitment on the weekend I'm glad I did because on day 3 I felt pretty groggy. (I had Monday off.) Audrey had told me before I started that I could try a bit of hot chocolate proti-source in my coffee if I was missing the milk in my coffee. I really didn't think I would like it at all but by day 2 that's how breakfast started. Thanks Audrey!

I went away with family that weekend and before we got in the car I had already baked 3 skinless/ boneless chicken breasts to take along. It was a 3 hour car ride to where we were going so I had a salad with chicken at hand if I got hungry on the drive, which I did. I was really glad I took the time to do that little pre-planning because stopping anywhere on the highway for a snack would be off limits anyway. Also had a proti and a hot herbal tea in a thermos. These little things really helped. I was surprised.

By day two I was already missing the crunchy soy proti source and the decadent proti bars. They make you feel like you are indulging. On the way home I had a big laugh because we stopped at a gas station and I found myself gazing longingly at a package of "Barbeque Chicken Wing Pretzel Bits BURSTING with flavour!"  I actually said "wow" or "mmm" or something like that. After a few seconds I shook my head and started laughing. They actually looked disgusting but because I was on the diet prep they seemed so much more appealing because they were sooo off limits. I would never buy them at any other time. Funny how the human psyche works!

So I am very happy with the results so far! I'm nervous about Thanksgiving though. I have 2 turkey dinners to attend. I'm sure I will indulge. It IS Thanksgiving after all, but I hope I don't get carried away!

How do you handle the holiday? Audrey has given me a recipe for "Guilt Free Pumpkin Pie Parfait". Ask her for a copy if you are interested. I am going to try it and perhaps adapt a "low carb" recipe that I have found. I will post it if it works out.

Support- You're Going to Need Some

Before I address how the diet prep went I want you to know that I am a full-time working mother. I am married and have a gregarious, fun loving 6 year old (just turned) son. That is why in some ways it is easier for me to stay on the program when I am in a routine of the workweek. I have a very supportive husband who is basically eating what I eat in larger portions with lots of bread on the side:) (He is a bread lover.) He knows I am doing this to feel better. When it is his turn to cook he runs the menu by me to see if it will be OK. Sometimes I have to make minor adaptions. (more salad on the side, or a steamed vegetable) I find I have to ask him to salt the meal after cooking so that it is not too salty for me. Luckily, he doesn't have a sweet tooth so those sweets aren't around too much to tempt me. His indulgence is usually a glass of red wine with dinner.

My sisters are also very supportive. For instance, this weekend my sister Wanda made dinner and I asked if she could roast my zuchini and carrots apart from the roast she was making so that they wouldn't be cooking in the fat of the roast. As well, nearing the end of a hike this weekend I needed to get back a little quicker because I needed a healthy snack back at the cottage. She walked back with my son at my his slower pace.

Of course, your family may not want to do the program with you. My sister and husband had wine by the outdoor fire and had to stop for coffee and snacks on the drive up and back. (Be prepared for long drives by the way.) They put gravy on their meat and veg. They had potatoes while I did not BUT they DID support me in my choices and I am thankful for that.

Of course this support may also come from close friends and co-workers. I realize at my workplace there are a lot of temptations. Our clients often bring in cakes and cookies as a way of thanking the staff. Just say "No thanks." and try to think of why you are making these choices. For a healthier, happier you.

Humiliating "before" pictures :) AKA Good-bye muffin top! Been nice knowin' ya

You get the idea. Audrey requested that I put some "before" pictures up. The reason I have the word before in quotation marks is because I had already been in the "pre-diet" phase for 2 weeks and had lost 5 pounds by this point. At 161 lbs I probably couldn't fit into these pants. I am probably about 155 here. I purposely chose clothes that are too tight on me right now in order to wear the same ones in the (hopefully glorious) "after" pictures. The proof will be in the pudding so to speak. I feel, however, healthy eating is a lifelong commitment. Sometimes, we just get sidetracked.

Diet Prep

OK. I may be sabotauging myself but I'm going to do the diet prep this WEEKEND. I will have 3 days off of work so I thought it would be a good time where I'm not rushing around doing this and that. I find this part the toughest but most rewarding part of the program. You really see results start to increase as you get your body ready to lose weight. Because I am not having the fat intake (dairy, oils etc.) I find really focusing on the spicing of your food helps a lot. For example I am making chicken with lots of paprika, a "Mrs Dash" like combo(onion flakes, basil, thyme), ginger, and sumach. I think I last stepped on the scale on Thursday and I was down another pound to 155 or so. We'll see what the results are like after the weekend.

I'm happy to say that I'm keeping up the workout routines. Zumba twice a week and Salsa once a week. I have missed out on yoga due to events and work scedules. I do love coming out of a yoga class and feeling almost like I've had a massage, so I have missed that.

I still find I have to be consciencious about my water intake. I really notice it if I miss drinking water throughout a part of the day. I get a very dry mouth and headachy. Also keeping up with my vitamins and EFA's needs work. Good habits take time:)

I am hoping to add some recipes soon and talk about a local farm foodbox that I have been ordering which is great. 

Wish me luck on the diet prep. Good luck and stay true to yourself on your health journey!

Getting Started

One of the reasons I am journaling this process is to keep myself on track. I also hope that this helps to motivate others who are also trying to embrace a healthier lifestyle. I want to share ideas about what helps me to make healthy choices along the way.

As a bit of background, I am 44 years old, 5' 8" and started the program (My Successful Weight Loss) at 161 pounds. I have been on the pre-diet part of the program for about two weeks. The big challenges for me were dropping sugar and alcohol. I love a glass of wine with dinner but I thought that ritual was probably getting a little too frequent anyway. I haven't been drinking at all during the week and have had only a glass on the weekends. I have an incredible sweet tooth. I really find the protein based proti-source help me get through the cravings and I find it good to always have one in my purse just in case I don't get home to eat in time. I really have remember my water intake (8 glasses a day). I find that I feel better when I'm on top of it.

Of course I eat better during the week. My routine is very regular during the week so it is easier to stay on track. Last week it was my son's birthday so I indulged in a piece of cake on that day. As well we went to the Medieval Times on the weekend for his special day and it is a fixed menu of pretty high calorie food.  I indulged and my weight was up a pound but I try not to stress about the bumps in the road. They are always going to be there. I enjoy the indulgence and try not to overdo it. I don't let my whole efforts go down the drain, though. I just get back on track the next day. Really, I find I feel better anyway.

After two weeks I''ve lost five pounds which I'm pretty happy about. I still have to make an effort to get my water intake in. It's not a totally natural habit yet. I also want to start making sure I'm taking my multi-vitamin every day and the essential fatty acids. (EFAs)

Soon I will do the diet-prep which I find takes effort and focus but which I stick to religiously because I find my body does respond well to it.

An Introduction

I am on the health/ fitness/ weight-loss journey and thought I would like to journal and share the ups and downs of the process. I have used the "My Successful Weight Loss" program before, with the help of Nutritionist Audrey Vanderstoop. It really worked well for me.

The last year has been extremely stressful, however, and I put on unwanted pounds. I was not eating in a healthy manner and it caught up with me. I actually felt that I had to make a change last spring but I knew that I didn't have the energy or the level of commitment needed to focus on my weight loss. Instead, I tried to get more active as a way to reduce my stress levels and feel better about my health. I started a Zumba class, which I love and returned to yoga. This was a great way to be kind to myself and take a little step towards a healthier me and it kept the scale from continuing to creep up.

Somehow at the beginning of September I felt it was time to make a change. Things have started to settle in my life so the stress levels aren't as high. I thought by journaling I could share what works for me and what are challenges. I'm also interested in cooking so that will probably come up as well.So, here's to the journey!